Anna's Hummingbird vs Humboldt's Hummingbird
Calypte anna compared with Chrysuronia humboldtii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Humboldt's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Chrysuronia humboldtii |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 10.0 cm (3.9 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) | — |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 6.275 g (0.22 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Feeds on nectar from Colombian and Venezuelan lowland flowers. Supplements with small arthropods caught near … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Anna's Hummingbird
Chaparral, coastal sage scrub, gardens, parks, and open woodland along the Pacific coast. One of few hummingbirds not fully migratory.
Song & Call Comparison
Anna's Hummingbird
Male produces a complex, scratchy song with buzzy 'dzzzzt' notes. Gives a nasal 'chee-chee-chee'. Males sing year-round, even in winter; one of few hummingbirds with true song.
Humboldt's Hummingbird
Melodic, descending two-note whistle; pure warm tones stepping down smoothly, given repeatedly from territory perch.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Humboldt's Hummingbird
Found in humid Pacific lowland forests of Colombia and Ecuador. Resident in Chocó forest edges.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Humboldt's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Anna's Hummingbird
Metallic bronze-green upperparts. Males have an iridescent rose-red crown and gorget. Females have green upperparts with grey underparts and a small red gorget patch.
Medium-length, straight, thin black bill
Humboldt's Hummingbird
Black-throated Coucal: black throat; brown streaked above; rufous wings; buff below; long dark tail; red eye; black throat distinctive
About These Birds
Anna's Hummingbird
Anna's hummingbird is the most common hummingbird along the Pacific coast and one of only three species resident in the United States year-round. Males perform spectacular dive displays, plummeting from 40 meters and pulling up with a loud chirp produced by tail feathers. Their body temperature can drop to near ambient at night to conserve energy.
Humboldt's Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in humid Pacific lowland forests of Colombia and Ecuador. Green plumage. Nectarivore of Chocó forest edges. Named after Alexander von Humboldt. Sometimes considered a subspecies of Sapphire-throated Hummingbird.